Cat's Yarn
by Aiko Isari
Summary: [02] If she had to blame anyone for this, it would be Tailmon.


_**A/N:**_ Finally! Gosh, this took a while. This is for Day 1 of the 28 Days of Love Challenge: write your first ever OTP, even if you don't ship them anymore. This used to be my first ship, though I never actually wrote it. Dunno why. Well, here is me taking a crack at it. This is also for non-flash bingo number 099 - prompt: autocorrect, both on the DFC. Autocorrect of the brain! Enjoy and please review.

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Hikari gave her shoelaces another impatient tug and sighed. Tailmon looked down from her perch on the coat rack. "You can just wait," she said. She licked her lips with as much sheepishness as the cat ever offered. "I'm sure Ken wouldn't want you to catch a cold over his party."

"Onii-chan would be murderous if he did," she muttered under her breath. She saw Tailmon's ears twitch and she smiled. "I'll be all right, Tailmon, it's just down the block. If Ken-kun gets here before I do, make sure he stays here. He can start mixing the dry ingredients." She grabbed her white hat. "I'm off!" She hurried outside into the snow.

She wouldn't have to go if Tailmon had listened when she had said to not drink the milk. Her brain had just heard "milk" and "drink" and filled in the rest.

The snow was a welcome coldness on her tongue. Maybe she was too old to be snatching snow from the air, but that didn't mean she wanted to stop.

Hikari picked up a YukimiBotamon from the snow and it cheeped at her, too young to make words. It shook the snow off and went to her head and she laughed because if she had another Digimon with her, it would be _another_ black hole to lose the milk in. Even though that was true, she carried it anyway.

A store employee waved at her over where they slumped over the shovel. "Late night snack?"

"My cat decided to take the rest of the milk before it expired." The employee let out a giggle at the playful look of exasperation on Hikari's face.

"Your talking cat has an odd sense of humor."

Hikari thought about that. She wasn't even sure Tailmon even _had_ a sense of humor sometimes. She could laugh, but wasn't much on jokes. "Something like that," she agreed. Then Hikari shivered and hurried inside. She may like winter, but the cold was _not_ a great experience.

She hurried down the aisle and paused, picking up a jug of milk. She probably should get something for them to eat. The parents had said they could order pizza, but she knew her brother and Agumon could eat a whole pizza and a half by themselves. So that wouldn't be nearly enough.

 _I could cook us something simple…_ She shook her head, cheeks striking pink. _And embarrass myself in the process._ It wasn't that she couldn't cook, because she could after Taichi came back from the Digital World and they worked together for weekend dinners. It was just…

Hadn't Miyako-san said that was a _big step_ in a relationship or something? Homemade food for your date was practically a confession… and Nii-chan still hadn't approved."

Hikari rubbed her eyes and shook her head. It didn't _have_ to mean anything too big. She could just be thanking him for coming over, just be making because there was no way to be around food for too long and not want something, to make up for her brother's somewhat bad table manners, to pay back for the train ride-

"Hikari-san?"

Hikari jumped and turned around. "Y-Yes?" Her shoulders sagged a hair. "Ah. Ken-kun..." She was going to lock Tailmon in the bath when she got back. "What are you doing here?" Not that she was bothered by it, but...

"Ah..." He shifted his gloves more thoroughly over his hands and she noticed the distinct lack of caterpillar burying his head in the fluff of the purple jacket. "Tailmon was worried you were gone too long."

Hikari sighed. "She is not a cat anymore. I think Hawkmon has turned her into a hen."

Ken let out a little laugh. "Wormmon can be worse. He told me I should wear earmuffs and a hat today."

Hikari giggled. Then she toyed with an idea in her head. "Mom and Dad gave me money to get dinner. Want to… " She hesitated, then decided to take her brother's advice (which he would never apply to this, ever.) "Help me pick something out?"

Ken's face turned pink, but he smiled. "That would be good." He thought it over. "It will need to be something big to fill all of the black holes."

Hikari giggled and they went to finish shopping. On their way to Hikari's apartment, Ken's fingers trailed over Hikari's free hand and clasped them together. Hikari smiled.

She was going to pretend that the color in her cheeks came from the cold.


End file.
